Main menu

Lincoln, Ford and Porsche included in Dingman Collection for sale by RM

June 3, 2012

1 of 121989 Porsche 911 Speedster

Photo by RM Auctions

2 of 121989 Porsche 911 Speedster

Photo by RM Auctions

3 of 121989 Porsche 911 Speedster

Photo by RM Auctions

4 of 121989 Porsche 911 Speedster

Photo by RM Auctions

5 of 121962 Lincoln Continental

Photo by RM Auctions

6 of 121962 Lincoln Continental

Photo by RM Auctions

7 of 121962 Lincoln Continental

Photo by RM Auctions

8 of 121962 Lincoln Continental

Photo by RM Auctions

9 of 121936 Ford Custom Cabriolet by Glaser

Photo by RM Auctions

10 of 121936 Ford Custom Cabriolet by Glaser

Photo by RM Auctions

11 of 121936 Ford Custom Cabriolet by Glaser

Photo by RM Auctions

12 of 121936 Ford Custom Cabriolet by Glaser

Photo by RM Auctions

We gave you a small taste of the Dingman Collection last week. Now let's take a deeper look at some of the impressive lots for sale at the RM Auctions' Hampton, N.H., event slated for June 9-10.

The collection was gathered over many years by Dingman, who was on the Ford Motor Co.'s board of directors for 21 years. The sale will include almost 50 vehicles and more than 1,000 pieces of automotive history, signs and other related lots.

Exceptional lots include a 1936 Ford Custom Cabriolet by Gläser, a 1989 Porsche 911 Speedster and a 1962 Lincoln Continental, similar to the one driven by the boys in Entourage.

The 1936 Ford has an L-head V8 engine, a three-speed manual transmission and a whopping 85 hp. These cars were popular in Europe during the time between the wars.

Many were sent to coachbuilders for custom bodies or soft tops. Gläser became famous for his work with Opels, Chevrolets and Fords, and he did plenty of these types of conversions.

This particular car was purchased by the Westermann family in 1936. Though the car carries a chassis number from a 1936 car, it wears the front sheetmetal of a 1935 model. Model-year updates to Ford vehicles lagged in Europe at the time, which lead to whole series of cars with mismatched parts.

The car was moved around until the end of World War II and ended up staying in a garage until it was bought by Richard John Tucker in 1987. The car was restored and was sold to Ian Feltham of London in 1990. The engine was rebuilt by Norman Bloor, a notable flathead specialist, and the car was again sold to Colin Spong in 2008 before being bought by Dingman. The 1936 Ford Custom Cabriolet is expected to sell for no less than $225,000.

The Porsche 911 Speedster should sell for about the price of the Custom Cabriolet. It has a custom-built turbocharged 3.5-liter flat-six engine and a five-speed manual gearbox.

The Speedster was launched along with the Carrera 4 at the Frankfurt motor show in 1988. The show car was a hit, and production versions received a taller windshield and an easy-to-use manually operated cloth top. Production of the car was delayed until 1989, and only 2,100 examples were built, 823 of which were sent to the United States.

This car has only 4,200 indicated miles, and with the added parts, it's better than new. In 1992, Dingman sent the car to California's AJ-USA shop for conversion to the turbocharged specification. First the engine was upgraded, and then everything else, to optimize the package. A total of $38,000 was spent during the process.

Now, if you're looking for a gangster-mobile, the 1962 suicide-door Lincoln Continental might be your ticket. It sports a 430-cubic-inch engine, 300 hp and a three-speed transmission. After a full restoration, the interior has wood-grain accents, black leather and good quality brightwork. The instrument panel is original, and the odometer has slightly fewer than 75,000 miles on the clock. The car hasn't been driven since its restoration, which contributes to its clean appearance. The Continental is expected to sell for about $55,000.

Check out www.rmauctions.com for more details or to get in on the action.